Giulia Papaleo Gracianteparaluceta
Interdisciplinary designer with 6+ years of experience across top agencies. Visionary and strategic team player & leader with expertise in branding, visual storytelling, and human-centered design, bringing innovative concepts to life through collaboration and impactful narratives. Ability to learn fast.
Creative Art Director & Brand Strategist
Driving Brands with Visionary Concepts & Emotional Connection
Creative Direction, Brand Strategy, Visual Communication, Storytelling, Team Leadership, AI Prompter, Design Strategy, Spatial Design, UX/UI Design, Marketing Strategy, Human-Centered Design, Project Management, Client Relationship Management, Execution + Production, Brand Guidelines, Print media Concepts, Photoshoot support, Concept Creation,
Strategic Brand Development
Creative Strategy
Formulates compelling brand strategies that engage target audiences, drive loyalty, and create lasting impact.
Brand Identity Development
Crafts unique and cohesive brand identities, integrating brand presence seamlessly across digital and physical spaces.
Human-Centered Design
Prioritizes user experience by conducting UX research and applying insights to create customer-centric designs that are both intuitive and engaging.
Innovative Visual Storytelling
Contact papaleo.giulia@hotmail.com
+49 17 374 58 37 5
Address
Blutenburgstraße 26 80639 Munich, Germany
Personal Information
Nationality: Spanish, Italian (born in Germany)
Date of birth: 28 June 1996
Website giuliapapaleo.com
Visual Storytelling
Builds powerful brand narratives that communicate values and connect emotionally with audiences, enhancing brand engagement.
Art Direction
Leads creative vision and execution for photoshoots, digital assets, and brand experiences, ensuring cohesive, high-impact visuals.
Digital & Print Media Design
Delivers top-quality visual assets across digital platforms, print, and spatial environments, showcasing design adaptability.
Leadership & Collaboration
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Builds and leads cross-disciplinary teams, aligning creative and business objectives for effective project outcomes.
Project Leadership
Manages complex projects from initial concept to final delivery, optimizing team productivity, workflow, and client satisfaction.
Professional Experience
Creative Director & Brand Strategy Consultant
Studio Giulia Papaleo | Full-Time | Freelance | Munich / Barcelona / London
Nov. 2017—Present
Developing brand strategies, digital assets, and visual narratives for clients including Serviceplan Group, BMW, and VOGUE. Responsibilities include concept creation, brand guideline development, and leading design workshops.
Art Director + Pitch Strategiest
Serviceplan Group | Freelance | Munich / Milano
Sept. 2024
Collaborated with directed pitch strategies for Saint Elmo’s Tourism, focusing on visual storytelling and aligning creative concepts with business goals through collaboration with cross-functional teams.
Art Director | Brand Strategy + Brand Experience
Martin et Karczinski | Freelance | Munich
July 2024
Collaborated with shaping visual identities and brand strategies for luxury brands. Tasks included user-centered experience design, creating cohesive brand spaces, and guiding design alignment with brand objectives.
Art Director | Exhibition + Human Centred Design
Heinrich Böll Stiftung | Stuttgart / Pforzheim
Feb. 2024—May 2024
Collaborated with Heinrich Böll Stiftung and Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz to design an environmental exhibition focused on climate awareness. Showcased photographic work on glacier melt, led community engagement sessions, and presented insights from thesis Aqua Nostra - Ein Manifest on glacier preservation.
Art Director
19:13 Design Studio | Full-Time | Munich
July 2023—Dec. 2023
Crafted and executed innovative creative concepts aligned with brand vision during master’s thesis work. Led the development of user-centric designs that prioritized intuitive interactions, collaborated across disciplines, and ensured brand consistency across all visual communications.
Art Director | Experience & Exhibition
AVANTGARDE Group | Full-time | Munich / London
Jan. 2023—Aug. 2023
Led the creation of immersive brand spaces and exhibitions, managing a creative team and integrating interactive elements to build memorable brand experiences. Mentored junior designers, fostering a culture of creativity and continuous improvement.
Brand Space Designer | Brand Experience
BLACKSPACE GmbH | Munich
Aug. 2019—May 2020
Designed immersive brand spaces, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams on creative concepts. Developed style guides, managed client presentations, and utilized Cinema 4D for spatial visualizations.
Senior Visual Designer + Studio Manager
Zero-8 Studios & Production + Art in Action | Munich
Feb. 2017—Feb. 2018
Directed design projects and managed studio operations, optimizing workflows and leading photoshoots to achieve cohesive visuals aligned with client goals. Provided mentorship to junior designers, fostering their creative and technical development.
Senior Visual Designer + Photography Director
Art in Action | Munich
Feb. 2016—Jul. 2018
Developed visual concepts and directed photography sessions for brand storytelling projects. Collaborated across teams to ensure cohesive execution from ideation through delivery.
Softweare Skills
Advanced Adobe Suite (ID / PSD/ AI / AE), Figma, Webflow, Sketch, Adobe XD, Generative AI Tools / AI Prompting , TouchDesigner, Procreate, Miro, Asana, Trello, Slack, Teams
Intermediate Cinema 4D, Blende
Education
M.A. Design & Future Making
DesignPF - Fakultät für Gestaltung Pforzheim
2021—Sept. 2023 | Part-time | Pforzheim / London
A comprehensive, interdisciplinary program centered on integrating design with sustainable and innovative practices to address complex challenges in the modern design field.
B.A. in Visual Communication Design
DesignPF - Fakultät für Gestaltung Pforzheim
2017—2021 | Full-time | Pforzheim
An intensive program covering the foundations of visual communication and design, with a strong emphasis on creating effective solutions across digital and print media.
Certificate English Literature and Language
University of Cambridge 2016 | Full-time | Cambridge | Level: C2
Associate’s Degree in English
University of Oxford 2015 | Full-time | Oxford / London
Certifications
Communication Signage Designer
Specialized in effective signage and wayfinding design. / Raum Service
Pictogram Designer
Certified in intuitive visual communication. / Jule Gudehus
Languages
English: Fluent (C2 Certificate)
German: Native
Spanish: Native
Italian: Native/Conversational